About

Have you ever considered that your home can represent who you are? Well I have. As a child I grew up in a housetruck and travelled around New Zealand in The Gypsy Fairs. You may be asking yourself, “what is a housetruck?” or “what are The Gypsy Fairs?”.

Jola Josie as a child

I, Jola Josie, will document the life style of modern gypsies in New Zealand, their community and the markets they organize, plus information about the country. During this year in New Zealand, 4 months will be used to create a tiny home that will be traveled in for 8 months around New Zealand. The weekly YouTube videos will follow me through this year and contain information about how to build a small motorhome, housetruck as the Gypsies call it. They will also introduce different locations that have not yet been explored so much by tourists.

This project has been a dream of mine for a few years and now it is finally in motion. Pursuing this dream is scary as hell, but yet so exiting, because I don’t know how it will turn out. There will most likely be ups and downs, difficulties along the way with obstacles that will be difficult both mentally and fiscally. Pursuing this dream and going back to my birth place, following in my mums footsteps, whom I lost to cancer when I was twelve, and emerging back into a culture I haven’t been a part of since I lost my mum are all among reasons that make me vulnerable. As Brene Brown says “vulnerability is not a weakness”. Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage. According to Brown vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change.

Jola Josie today. Photo by Lars Ståle Fjellbakk

Norway, since my mum passed away, has been my home for eleven years. Here I have studied a bachelor in culture and communication at Oslo University in Norway with specialization in film and esthetics. This being part of my background I am ready to take on New Zealand with open arms and try my best by standing up after every obstacle I meet. Ill do this by learning from the experience and tackling the next obstacle differently.

Housetruck/housebus in New Zealand – photographer Zotora Nygaard

Housetruck in New Zealand – photographer Zotora Nygaard

Housetruck in New Zealand – photographer Zotora Nygaard

Housetruck in New Zealand – photographer Zotora Nygaard

Housetruck/housebus in New Zealand – photographer Zotora Nygaard

Housetruck in New Zealand – photographer unknowen

Housetruck in New Zealand – photographer Unknowen

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8 thoughts on “About”

Following from Norway. Miss NZ, left due to Christchurch earthquake and a job opportunity that came along on the same day that spoke to us and said Go. Following to connect to NZ and remind myself what a great country it is, plus my wife’s dad grew up as a gypsey in England. Good luck, have fun and stay safe

Hi Steve. Thank you for your comment. It is wonderful to hear about your story. I hope that Norway has been treating you as good as it has me. I also hope that you reconnect with NZ through my accounts and video blogg and wish you the best on your further adventure in Norway.
Jola Josie

I have just seen this today 22/06/17 and watched heaps of your videos of you trip. I can’t wait to watch more when I have time. I’m an Irish guy who lives in Australia 19 years now and I was in England for ten years before that .. I was in Norway for three weeks when I was 12 and have the best memories of it.
I want to go to NZ and recently started dating a beautiful Kiwi girl and now you videos have captivated me.. I’m a Carpenter and am amazed how talented you were in your building ., I can’t wait to watch more of your trip..
I so want to go to NZ even more now.
Thank you from this Irish guy in Oz,
Paul
My Instagram… paddyinoz.

Sounds like you have done quit a fair bit of traveling yourself.
This journey of mine has been so amazing and I have learnt so much. Everything from knowledge about my family and myself to how to do simple building skills. Its been an absolute treasure traveling in a home making me so flexible to where i can go.
I hope you enjoy New Zealand when you get here. its absolutely stunning!
Jola Josie